


I Know What You Are.

by BGee93



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Demons, Banter, Blood and Gore, Demons, Getting Together, Human!Kuroo, M/M, demon!Daichi, mentioned - Freeform, movie jokes/puns, not overly described, there is fluff I promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 21:10:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17609051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BGee93/pseuds/BGee93
Summary: He backs up until he hits the wall behind him, sliding down it until he slumps heavily to the floor. Eyes never leaving the thing sitting on his counter. His action seems to draw a curious glance from the demon but it doesn't stop. Slurping up another string of ramen greedily as it watches him. They hooked their ankles together swinging them back and forth, their heels thumping against the cupboards softly. Huffing out as his head bumps against the wall Tetsurou realizes the noises that had woken him was the thing childishly swinging their feet against the doors on his cupboards. It's such an innocent and youthful thing to do that it left him wanting to laugh hysterically that it's a murder doing it.





	I Know What You Are.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HomeForImaginaryFriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/gifts).



He’s safe now. At least that’s what he continues to tell himself as his hands continue trembling uncontrollably. Waves of terror filled shivers course through his veins. Chilling his blood till it’s so cold Tetsurou is officially half convinced he’s turning into ice. Despite the pure science part of his brain scolding him for the silly thought. Surely no one can actually _freeze_ until they’re a solid chunk of ice, purely out of fear and shock.

Right?

“Fucking hell… What _was_ that?” huffing out a deep breath Tetsurou spoke into the blanket. His whisper bouncing against and off the material back onto the chilly surface of his face. Another shudder rips through him as the flashes of the previous hour, _has it truly only been an hour..._ , play through his mind like a broken, unclear movie. Eyes twisting shut against the scenes, squeezing closed so hard he sees dots of white against the darkness behind his eyelids. But they keep playing despite the spots of black and white against his lids from how tightly he pushed them shut.

The sounds of ripping flesh still rings in his ears alongside the thundering be-beat of his heart. The deep, gushing wound around the guys neck had been like something out of a shitty horror movie. Tetsurou had stared, unable to form a scream. Much like the person who’d bled to death at his feet, the wound severing the jugular and most likely the larynx, in the middle of the Science building on campus. Which is where he’d been walking through, finally on his way home after a night of studying. He was no longer grateful his professor had given him a spare key to the lab. The image of the mans terrified, blood splattered face forever burned into the memory section of his brain.

_The hippocampus is a structure in the brain that has been associated with various memory functions. It is part of the limbic system, and lies next to the medial temporal lobe…_

_Seriously, Neurology notes at a time like this? What the fuck is wrong with me…_

He wishes he could laugh, even snorts would be a good sign he isn’t in the process of losing his mind. Yet Tetsurou shivers against the cold settled deep within himself, no laughter, not even a snicker, bubbles up. The blanket felt like it was suffocating him slowly. His father’s voice prods through once in awhile to tell him that throwing a blanket over his head won’t keep the monsters away. That he’s supposed to stand up against them like he had through his fear of the dark stage when he’d been 6 years old. But dammit, Tetsurou will be damned if he takes it off of his head. Science be damned too. He knows what he saw was, is, a monster. And the thing keeping them separated in this moment is his blanket.

Unsure of how much longer he sat there, in the middle of his bed with the blanket thrown over him, his brain willing it to act like the Cloak of Invisibility, Tetsurou fell asleep. Images of flowing blood, shimmering, molten gold, claws, unheard screaming agony, filling his dreams. Arms hugging his knees tight to his chest slips and falls to the mattress while he slumps heavily against his headboard. His breathing evens, slows as sleep takes over him completely. The shivering subsides eventually but the chill never quite leaves. Goosebumps litter his skin long before his front door is expertly unlocked and pushed open.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

He wakes with a start just a few short hours later. Tangled in the blanket and groggy from sleep, Tetsurou flails subconsciously. Fighting off the attacker from his dream. Heart thumping heavily against his chest and breathing hitches in his throat so high it holds back his scream. 

The jerky movements and fear driven state causes him to topple over the side of the mattress. Landing on the wooden floor with an echoing, heavy thunk. The force knocks the remaining air from within his lungs but wakes him enough to realize there is no attacker. At least not right in front of him. Blinking against the soft light filtering in through his bedroom door, Tetsurou heaves shaky air in and out. Slowly but surely he catches his breath. Lungs no longer aching with the force of it. His widened eyes search every milky-black inch of his room to truly convince himself he’s not in any danger. 

Yanking himself out of the tangle of blankets, Tetsurou shudders out a breathy laugh at himself. It had been one wild dream. He really needs to get out more often. Conjuring up some demonic murder on campus, because there’s no other explanation for _what_ that thing had been, just as he had conveniently been on his way home. Yup. he’s losing his grip on reality. Too many late nights and early mornings with no personal life is obviously taking its toll on him mentally…

Except his eyes keep glancing down at the pair of jeans he’s still wearing. His favorite pair if the wear and tear clearly shown on them is any indication of his preference. 

_It’s not the first time I’ve fallen asleep wearing them… Plus that red smudge could be paint. Of course I haven’t been near anything freshly painted, let alone paint itself lately, but it’s still possible… And it’s just a subconscious coincidence that I’m wearing the same sweater in my dream. It’s not like I own a wide variety of fashion… Has that hole always been there?.._

A low thump snaps his attention in the direction of his bedroom door. It’s half closed despite him remembering slamming it shut as he came home. Making a beeline for his bed. At least he had in his dream…

_Please let it be a dream…_

Gulping against his now dry mouth, Tetsurou pushes himself away from the door. Sneaker clad feet, _... why didn’t I take my sneakers off before going to bed?.._ , squeak against the floor. The noise sounds much louder than it actually is in his ears as blood rushed with adrenaline. _Oh I know why… ‘Cus I’m still dreaming. Yup totally still in a dream. 100 percent. The brain is a wonderfully terrifying thing. Add in trauma, which I’ve obviously over exaggerated and turned into some supernatural event, and my mind is trying to project that into my sleep. This is a nightmare. My exhaustion, trauma and so on has concocted a realistic nightmare. I’ll be fine… Totally fine… Fine..._

His back hits the wall, elbow knocking into something and clattering it to the floor. Tetsurou jerks, yelping out at the noise the bat causes as it collides with the floor. Eyes darting to the offending object. Through the darkness of the room he can’t see it for a moment. The light filtering in through his doorway barely casting enough light for him to see much of anything past stark shadows. More noise comes from within his apartment snapping his eyes towards the doorway again. Hitching in breaths he begins inching his hand along the floor in search of the bat. Instincts telling him to grab the weapon as his brain chants a prayer that it hasn’t rolled too far away.

Thankfully some higher power seems to be on his side. Within a few short minutes his fingertips brush against the neck of the bat. Thrusting himself away from the wall he lunges at the weapon. Long fingers curl white-knuckle tight around it as he jumps, more like stumbles, to his feet. Whipping around to face his doorway Tetsurou releases a shaky breath. His heartbeat high in his throat now. He’s trembling again. Painful fear shoots through his veins bringing attention to what he would guess is a bruise on his thigh. Wincing as the area throbs, having hit it on what he assumes wass his dresser as he stood, Tetsurou curses under his breath. No longer trying to convince himself this is a dream. Though if he’s honest with himself he hadn’t believed himself in the first place.

Slipping along the shadowed walls he made his way towards the door. He nearly trips four times. Over various piles of laundry and textbooks as well as the bag he’d flung aside when he’d arrived home. But Tetsurou makes it to his doorway. A thin sheen of sweat broke out along his hairline and across the back of his neck. The collection of moisture felt chilled against his skin from the air. Sliding forward he grips the neck of the bat impossibly tighter. His palms ache with the force of his grip. Leaning into a crouch he rolls his body around the doorframe to peer into the hallway.

It’s completely dark aside from the glowing light from his kitchen. The affect causes his mind to, once again, drift into the nightmare conspiracy. Eerie and death filled. That’s how his hallway looks. A tunnel to his skeletal fate. The light at the end of the shadowed tunnel leading to a reaper rather than an angel, waiting to take him to hell and not the blissful rest in heaven with his mom.

Taking a shuddering breath in, Tetsurou pulls himself back into his room, leaning heavily against the wall as he tries to steady his breathing again. He’s making far too much noise for his own liking. The thing in his kitchen can definitely hear him already just from the way he’s gasping for air, oxygen becoming deprived from his lungs and brain. Chanting inside his head Tetsurou tries to force his brain back into normal function.

_The blood within your veins… It flows without stopping… Keeps the oxygen moving… Keeps your brain working… The blood within your veins… It flows without stopping… Keeps the oxygen moving… Keeps your brain working… The blood within your veins… It flows -_

The bat in his hands shake and jerk when a sudden collection of bumps and thuds filter through the air, echoing down the hall and into his room. Gasping out a curse Tetsurou makes the decision to just rush into his fate. No reason to keep putting it off and psyching himself up over and over when it’s just going to kill him in the end. Right? Nodding to his own question he swung around the doorframe. 

Sneakers slap against the floor as he rushes through the shadows. Raising the bat above his head, tensing his shoulders and back muscles as he prepares to lash out. Grinding to a squeaky halt when the kitchen scene came into blinding view. Tetsurou blinks away the spots that shield his view for a few brief seconds, his face scrunches up into the angriest snarl he can manage. A sad attempt at intimidation he’ll fully admit to. Only to have every muscle, bone, fibre of his self slump into goo once his vision clears.

There is no doubt, what-so-ever, in a million-trillions years in his very own mind, over the identity of the stranger sitting in front of him. The eyes have dulled to a wide, doe-like brown. They look soft and almost… warm if Tetsurou was forced to choose a word. But Tetsurou could only see the flashes of molten gold flickering behind them whenever they catch the light in just the right way. Can still see the hooded, cold, uncaring and blank stare boring through him. The being had followed him home. The _demonic_ being followed him home and was now-

Eating his leftover ramen.

_What… What the fuck!? That’s my lunch for tomorrow!_  
…  
Seriously dude, **that’s** our current concern right now? 

The bat falls from his now limp hands. Crashing against the wooden floors with a deafening clatter. Jaw gaping so wide it isn’t long before the strain begins to cause aches. Eyes quickly following behind as they itch and water from Tetsurou blatantly staring without blinking. The full image before him is just so, so… It’s just so unreal!

The short yet, very clearly from the way it's muscles bulge and flex beneath the shirt, well built being had rummaged through his fridge. The door wide open. Cool air filtering out of it as the appliance hummed. His counter held what looked to be the remains of at least a weeks worth of leftover takeout packages. All empty, a few tipped over to display the lack of contents inside. 

Eyes slipping over to the figure again Tetsurou tries to understand what’s happening. The demon greedily munches, slurps noodle after noodle into its mouth, and happily hums away as it chews. Tetsurou finally blinks. Watery blurs slowly becoming clear as he focuses on what he’s actually seeing and not what he sees in his mind. Forcing himself through the flashbacks of earlier that night, of the being tearing open someone's neck and letting them fall limply to the sidewalk as they choked and bled out in front of him. The thing sitting in front of him now is such an opposite image his mind begins to swirl and swim with dizziness. 

The more he looks, the more he notices. The more he notices the more Tetsurou becomes confused. Mostly with himself, after the fleeting thoughts of how adorable the being looks like this flashing through his mind. Giving his head a quick shake he lifts his hands to rub at his eyes. Blinking them open again to stare more clearly.

Perched up on his counter next to the open fridge the being continues to eat as if Tetsurou isn’t even there. As if it’s _their_ place and not his. They’re definitely shorter than him, but they’re built like a fucking house. Even through the blood stained jeans and turtleneck he can see the ripples of flexing muscle with every slight movement. Swallowing hard another shock of fear shoots through him, feet instinctively taking a step away from the other. The sheer power radiating off it overwhelming. 

He backs up until he hits the wall behind him, sliding down it until he slumps heavily to the floor. Eyes never leaving the thing sitting on his counter. His action seems to draw a curious glance from the demon but it doesn't stop. Slurping up another string of ramen greedily as it watches him. They hooked their ankles together swinging them back and forth, their heels thumping against the cupboards softly. Huffing out as his head bumps against the wall Tetsurou realizes the noises that had woken him was the thing childishly swinging their feet against the doors on his cupboards. It's such an innocent and youthful thing to do that it left him wanting to laugh hysterically that it's a murder doing it.

Eventually he must have passed out while watching them. The next time he awakens he's laying on his hallway floor alone. His fridge is once again closed and the countertops clear of takeout containers. He almost, _almost_ , believes in his unrealistic dream theory, again, until he went looking for evidence. Sure enough. The takeout containers were thrown away in his trash can and there's a tupperware bowl still dripping with water droplets on the drying rack. Next to a cup he knows he didn’t use.

But that wasn’t the most surprising evidence he found. Not only had his shoes been removed and placed by the doorway on the shoe rack. But a pillow from his bed had been removed and placed underneath him while he’d slept. On his whiteboard was the chilling message of _Thanks for the meal_ written in red dry erase marker.

Tetsurou thanked the gods listening he was spared. And he truly hopes he never sees the thing again.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

It becomes a weekly occurrence. 

The demon would show up in the middle of the night and wake him. They would raid his fridge, eat most of the leftovers, which he found himself leaving for them subconsciously after the third or fourth time. 

Tetsurou would sleepily walk into his kitchen to find the being lazing around on his countertops. Cheeks puffed up with food much like a chipmunks. Feet kicking slowly back and forth with the ankles hooked over on another as happy hums vibrate from the demons throat. He would slide against his wall to sit and watch them eat in silence. Both acknowledging the other with muted stares. 

Eventually Tetsurou had enough of getting a numbed ass or kink in his neck from falling asleep on the floor. So he moved to the sofa in his living room. Arm thrown across the back as he half turned in the beings direction. Eyes hooded in oncoming, unavoidable sleep as his head lulled against the arm across the sofa. He would wake up to a pillow under his head from his room, one of his fluffy throw blankets tucked up and under him. The kitchen always cleaned up as if they’d never been there in the first place.

It took less than two months for Tetsurou to just accept the newest development in his life. Even going as far as to ask for more hours at his part time job so he could afford the extra food. He even began to cook more often than ordering out as a way to save money so he could prepare two meals instead of just the one.

About another month passed like this before another shift in their _relationship? Could it be called a relationship?_

Tetsurou arrived home from a particularly long and exhausting day. His project thesis had been all but rejected by his professor and now he has to start over from scratch. He messed up an order at work and his boss had demanded he come in on his day off to fix it. Which consisted of calling around to other branches to see if they had enough stock of what they actually needed so he could set up a trade. It had gone well enough but there was still a large amount of unneeded stock he has to find a place for or return. Which apparently isn’t an option in his bosses mind.

Sighing heavily Tetsurou had skipped lunch and then decided to skip supper once he'd left work. Instead giving in to the call of his warm and comfy bed patiently waiting for him to sink into and ignore the world. He’d made it about halfway down his hall when the overwhelming smell of pizza hit his senses. Blinking rapidly he slowly backed up, step by steady step, until his eyes met the others. Soft, curious brown eyes stared back into his. The glowing gold hiding behind them flashing brightly in the darkened room.

Flicking on the light to his living room Tetsurou deadpanned at the demon who was mid bite into the slice of pizza held gently in one hand while the other balanced one of his school books in the other. It was an almost humorous sight. The way the tip of the slice hung in between the things open mouth, their eyes watching Tetsurou carefully as if _he_ was the dangerous one. His lips twitched into a smirk before deadpanning again. Their eyes remained locked on each other for a few more minutes. Neither one making a move past the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed.

Swallowing heavily Tetsurou broke first. Slipping the bag from his shoulder he let it fall to the floor beside his couch with a dull thud. Stepping forward he pulled a warm slice from the box, noticing that the pizza is already half eaten despite it still being warm enough for strings of cheese to connect the pieces. A snort dies in his throat as he turn away, sucking the sauce off his thumb as he flops down into the soft, worn surface of the couch. His action seems to break the other out of their own trance as they bit into the awaiting piece hanging in their mouth. Humming happily as they chew.

Their eyes connect once in awhile as Tetsurou munches. The thing eats ¾ of the pizza but he doesn't mind. His body just appreciating the food now warming and filling the inside of his stomach, which no longer groans at him for his stupidity of skipping meals.

Once he finishes his last slice he leans back, licking the grease and sauce from his fingers as his eyes roam over the being more openly. Their cheeks are puffed out again, full of crust this time rather than ramen. Legs crossed, feet tucked under them as they sink into the chair beneath them. From this angle the light reflected the supernatural gold of their eyes, glowing dimly as they flick over the words in the book they seem to be engrossed in.

Tilting his head curiously Tetsurou reads the name of the book, recognising it as one from last semester during an intro into a gross anatomy course. Cringing at the memories that flood his mind Tetsurou focuses back on the one reading. The others eyes are back on him again. 

Intense yet still quiet. Unabashed this time, or just plain stupid from the weird familiarity they’ve accomplished so far, Tetsurou doesn’t look away after a few silent moments. Instead he takes in the sharp, surprisingly handsome curves of their face. The slope of their jaw, the flex of muscle on their neck as they breathe and swallow. He can still feel their eyes watching him. The book slowly closing and lowering the longer Tetsurou’s eyes explore. It's when his eyes land on their lips that their string of silence breaks for the first time.

“You have sauce right here,” with a smirk he pokes at his own lip where the sauce location was on the other. A cold shudder rips through him as he watches a flash of pink tongue dart out to lick the sauce away. Blinking, swallowing, he hyper focuses on the streak of spit they leave behind. Coming out of his trance only as a surprisingly deep ‘thanks’ vibrates through the air between them. Flushing Tetsurou nods and looks away. The other smirks as he watches Tetsurou for another minute before lifting the book up again to resume his reading.

That had just been the beginning of their new arrangement. The visits began to happen more frequently. Short, soft spoken words between them a new development. Building more and more until they could speak sentences to each other. Nothing substantial or earth shattering. Just phrases like greetings or passing remarks of his day to the being. 

The highly domesticity of it all should have bothered him. Hell, a lot of things about this should bother him, worry him, even scare him! But Tetsurou found it… calming. At least once the shock and awe seemed to wear off and disappear. 

Sure. It was a highly odd thing to become used to. Yet Tetsurou began to look forward to the days he’d come home to his usually quiet, and if he was being completely honest, rather lonely, apartment. Finding the creature already there and making itself at home. 

He had friends at school, and in nearby schools that were easy enough to visit or have come over, but it just didn’t feel the same as it had in high school. Everyone, especially himself, got busy easily. School work quickly swamping them and those who, like his best friend, continued playing Volleyball lost most of the little free time they’d normally have. So Tetsurou admits that he gets lonely despite knowing he has people close by and in his life. 

And so he admits to enjoying the things company lately. The being also seemed to enjoy the time spent with him, so Tetsurou never questioned it again. Soon enough they fell into a rather comfortable existence together. 

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

“I think I know what you are,” his eyes remained forward, focused yet not, on the movie playing on T.V. They sat on opposite ends of the sofa, both leaning against the armrests to add a few more inches between them. Yet Tetsurou is far too aware of the other. Heat radiating off the demon in gentle waves, warding off the chill of winter raging outside. It’s been a fee months since the first time they’d _met_. And with each passing visit he finds himself focusing more and more on the hidden personality residing within them. 

“If you say a vampire, I’ll kill you,” snorting unbecomingly Tetsurou side eyes them. Lips easily lifting into a teasing grin.

“Not even a little hesitation?”

“No,” instead of fear he slams his head back against the plush back of the sofa and cackles. They release their own snort at the sound of his laugh, which just eggs him on to laugh longer and laugh louder. Wiping a tear away, Tetsurou lulls his head to the side to look at them more fully. Eyes hooded in humor.

“Awe, that’s mean! Here I thought you’d come to care for me, I’m truly hurt,” laying a hand against his chest he watches as the brown eyes study his movements before lifting to meet his gaze. Their tone serious but those eyes, _oh those pretty eyes_ , give away so much. It shows the stubbornness, the pride, the challenge and teasing that lays beneath the serious exterior. Tetsurou wishes he could unlock those hidden components more often.

“You don’t even know my name human,” shrugging off that fact he continues to grin at the demon.

“Do you even know mine?”

“Yes,” jerking, blinking as his grin slips into a frown he creases his brow.

“Seriously?” they nod, watched him as they took in his reaction. “How?” he could see the tips of their ears pinken slightly as their gaze falls away from his.

“I read you mail,” it takes a minute for the statement to fully sink in. A choking sound comprised of shock and laughter catches in his throat. He’d expected some supernatural power or mind reading bullshit to come into play. Not this. Not something so entirely simple or _humanistic_ to be the reason the other had learned his name.

“Dude! That’s illegal and-” the being gives him a look that states the illegal issue is nothing but a laughable joke. Tetsurou snorts low in his throat but continues his accusation without a moments thought. “- not to mention a huge invasion of privacy,”

“Maybe you shouldn’t leave such _private_ items laying around then,” the pouty huff they pull is far too adorable to belong on something as knowingly dangerous as them. At least in Tetsurou’s opinion.

“It’s my apartment,” he swears he sees the demons cheeks brighten into a soft flush as they glance down at the nearly empty bowl of ramen, their third serving of the night, their focus now aimed at a noodle they swirl in the broth. It confuses him, because, surely, demons can’t blush. Yet it isn’t the first time he’s seen the pink tinge on their ears or cheeks, sometimes down their neck.

“So…” Tetsurou hums, head lolling back against the sofa as he shifts into a more comfortable position. Their knees brush and settle together, warmth radiating off and between them as Tetsurou waits for the other to continue speaking. The demon swirls the noodle around in circles thrice more before scooping it up and slurping it down without even chewing. A pink flash of tongue darting out to lick away the droplets of broth from his chin before doe-brown eyes turn to meet Tetsurou’s again. A devilish smirk is aimed at him as the demon finally asks, “What am I?”

Taking a deep breath to settle himself, his heart slamming against his ribs in nervousness. Swallowing against the dryness in his throat Tetsurou opens his mouth to finally, _finally_ , speak the word that his been hanging against the tip of his tongue for the past few months. Ever since they’ve met. Yet as his mouth forms around the words, his brain stalls his breath for just long enough for his lips to pull the word back down his throat again.

“A sparkly vampire,” a weak, barely there smirk lifts the corner of his mouth. It’s a poor attempt at a joke. A poor attempt to lift the heavy, dark mood weighing him down. And yet it works. They bark out their deep, throaty laugh. Eyes nearly closing as they chuckle, little wrinkles forming in the corners of their eyes and check bouncing. The flash of a dimple on one side of the beings mouth catches him off guard and his face falls into a blank stare. Eyes zoned in on it. Blinking slowly Tetsurou realizes that it only had one dimple, a small characteristic he’s never seen before but wishes he had sooner than this.

It’s absolutely adorable and impossibly charming.

He feels his face warm into a feverish state as he broke out into a blush of his own, eyes closing as he turns away from the sight. Hand raising to cover his mouth and some of his warm cheeks. Tetsurou begins mentally scolding himself for such thoughts. Falling for someone, no, _something_ like they are will only lead to…

He’s unsure what exactly it can lead to, but it can’t be anything good or positive for him. His scientist side still refusing to believe what is so clearly in front of him. Yet, his hopeless romantic, dreaming side wishes everything he’s beginning to feel, everything he was beginning to discover could work out. Even when deep inside his heart **and** his rational mind, he knows it never could.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Blood. Bright and so _red_ glares back at him. Shining from the demon's skin as it drips onto his floor. The cup in his hand slips, crashes to the floor. Water splashes against his bare feet, the bottom of his pajama pants. His heart plummets to his feet before slamming up into his throat choking him.

“Jesus-What. What the fu-are… Are you okay!?” his brain isn’t working. He dashes forward through the puddle of water, just barely avoiding the shard of glass. Hands reacting without thinking as he grips the blood soaked arm carefully. Frantic eyes searching for a wound.

“It’s not mine,” raising his eyes, looking down at the arm, then back up again in rotation. Tetsurou doesn’t believe what is being said to him at first. But as his hands slide over the tacky skin, the blood drying and crusting already, he begins to shake. Images of the first time they’d met coming back and flooding his eyes in seconds. Blinking as he steps back he realizes it’s actually tears flooding his eyes. Looking away he wipes them away with the corner of his sleeve, hoping they go unnoticed.

The demon remains rooted to where he stands. Silently watching Tetsurou through saddened eyes.

“Who-” his voice is hoarse, quiet as he tries to figure out what he actually wants to know. What he actually wants to ask.

“Do you really want to know!?” flinching at the burst of anger coming from them, Tetsurou slowly meets their burning gaze. There’s no trace of the brown that usually hides the gold marking him inhuman. They shone brightly, swirling like molten, melted gold as they stare back at him, into his very soul. Shivering Tetsurou shook his head. He doesn’t want to know. Doesn’t want any of the questions seering into the back of his mind answered. Not yet. “I didn’t think so,” running a stained hand through his short hair they brushed past him.

He follows, watches as they walk into his bathroom, the door gently closing behind them despite the harsh, angry words they’d just spoken. Hitching a breath in Tetsurou focuses on calming himself. Shakily he leans into the wall behind him, sliding down it until he sits with his knees to his chest. Arms laid over his knees and head resting on top of them. The sounds of the shower the only thing helping keep him grounded as his mind races. 

He cares far too much for the being, whose name he doesn’t even know. It’s ridiculous. He knows that. Yet he still fell in love like a fool.

No.

_Like a human._

When the burn behind his eyes turns into hot streams of tears down his cheeks Tetsurou furiously swipes them away. Blinking and sniffling back the snot already building up inside his nose. No way in hell is he going to cry over this. Over him. Over something that he should have put a stop to long ago, at least before his stupid, stupid, human heart had to go and beat for them. Rubbing at his cheeks until they felt raw he uses his knees to slide himself back up the wall. Standing and pushing away from his kitchen his feet push him towards his bedroom.

It’s late and he has lab work to do early tomorrow morning. Falling face first into the mattress he doesn’t even bother bringing the blanket up over himself. Smashing a pillow into each side of his head Tetsurou turns onto his side, caving his face into the soft pillowcases before curling his knees up. The burning behind his eyes flood back but no tears come. Huffing sadly he heats the material surrounding him with his breath. Willing, wishing for sleep to take him. Hoping that the thing using him would leave as silently as it always shows up.

His body is relaxed and sleepy by the time the shower is turned off. Sighing tiredly Tetsurou releases one of the pillows on his head, lets it fall against the bed behind him. Ears straining as he listens. He’s confused when wet slaps of damp footsteps fade away, followed by the sounds of clinking. Until his sluggish brain remembers he’d gotten up to grab a glass of water.

Only to find a blood soaked and dripping demon standing behind him. Waiting in the shadows like the nightmare fueled thing it’s supposed to be. Key words being _supposed to_. 

He listened as the sounds from the dark hallway fade again, loud crashing of glass being tossed out, then footsteps leading to the bedroom now. Tetsurou tenses again. They walk into the bedroom, pause in the doorway. Keeping his eyes closed despite the growing desire to open them, Tetsurou’s senses light up like a struck match. He can smell his body wash on them from where they stand. He can hear, feel, the long, sad sounding exhale of a sigh falling from them. 

They they’re suddenly in bed next to him. The dip of their weight causing Tetsurou’s eyes to snap open, lips falling open in a soft gasp, as their fingers gently push a strand of his bed head away from his eyes. The room is so dark he can barely make out the outline of them, just a small cast of light filtering in through his bedroom window. But those eyes, they glow bright enough behind the human’s brown tint to let Tetsurou know just how close they’re laying to him. Their breath ghosting so softly over his heated face.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” a shiver, pleasant and warm, courses through his spine at the soft spoken words. Their deep timbre holding a tenderness Tetsurou’s unused to hearing from anyone. Except maybe Kenma, or his dad, when he’d been younger. During his shy years before he was able to gain some self confidence and be more outgoing. “I just want…” his lips opened to ask what they want, but close slowly again. Too afraid to ask. Too afraid the answer won’t be a mirror of what he wants as selfish as that sounds. “Do you want me to leave?” 

Tetsurou thinks on this. He’d wanted them to leave just minutes earlier. Yet...

“No,” his voice wavers, unsure of their own truth. They also hesitate, breath stilling before sighing out. Eyes closing and enveloping Tetsurou in near complete darkness again, before they open to shine back at him.

“Please…” their voice is even softer than before. A deep sadness within the tone. “Don’t ask me anything, unless you really wish to know,” a warm, calloused hand cups his jaw carefully. A thumb swipes over the high of his cheekbone, moving in an agonizingly slow line. “Do you want to know Tetsurou?” A tear finally slips out. Runs over the bridge of his nose, down his cheek and collids with the pillowcase. Sniffling softly he whispers out a choked-

“No,”

“May I stay until you sleep?” hitching in and releasing a shaky breath Tetsurou nods into the hand still gently cupping his face.

“Ok,”

As if some spell was broken between them, they shift in sync. Closing the distance between each other. Tetsurou’s head lays against their bare chest, sighed into the heat pulsing off their skin while he throws an arm over their waist. Their head falls to rest against Tetsurou’s. Their lips burying into the thick mess of his hair to lay what he swears is a kiss at his crown. A strong pair of arms curl around him, pulling him even closer against them. Caging him in with a grip so powerful it should terrify him. Make him fear for his life.

Instead Tetsurou feels… _loved_.

He’s half asleep, eyes closed and body ridiculously relaxed as he hangs his long limbs over them, when they speak again. Voice still soft.

“Daichi,” he hums into their chest questioningly, nose nuzzling against the soft skin as the heavy blanket of sleep continues to fall over him. Lulling him. “My name. It’s Daichi,”

“Dai~chi,” he yawns the name out in a sing-song way, voice thick and heavy. He feels the chest beneath him rumble, bouncing him up and down softly as they, as _Daichi_ , chuckles.

“Goodnight Tetsurou,”

“Night…” _I love you, despite what you are… Despite me only being a human… I love you..._ Tetsurou feels himself drift into a deep, unwelcome sleep. Eyes closing as if weighed down by lead. Warmth surrounding him so fully it takes his exhausted brain several minutes to realize their legs are now tangled together, Daichi’s hand curling into the mass of his messy hair while the other swirls designs into his lower back. It sounds silly, even to his own ears, but Tetsurou can’t remember ever feeling so safe and protected. And he never wanted that feeling to fade away.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

It’s been three months. Three months since the night he fell asleep in Daichi’s arms. 

Three whole, long months since the last time he’s seen the demon. And people were beginning to notice a change in him. He’d become rather good at hiding his own true feelings, except to those he’s closest with as they know him like the back of their own hand. It became clear just how affected he actually is by Daichi’s disappearance when the questions of his own well being were thrown at him. 

It really shouldn’t bother him so much. It’s not like they were anything to each other after all. Kuroo is just a human who’d been used as a place to hide out and steal food from whenever it suited the other. Plus it’s not as if demons even had feelings. 

Okay that isn’t fair. Tetsurou honestly has no idea if demons have feelings, but he’d like to think they did. At least then he would feel less used and thrown away like he’s nothing. 

But dammit, did Daichi just have to _leave?_ Did he have to make him feel so fucking content and _safe_ only to leave!? Fucking hell it just wasn’t fair. But maybe this is what Daichi wanted from the beginning. Maybe this is just what he does. Maybe that’s what he did to the student he murdered on campus so long ago.

Maybe he was going to do the same to him. Waiting in the background, watching him. Waiting till he was vulnerable enough to-

“Bro you okay?” blinking away the traitorous wetness forming on his eyes Tetsurou sent Bokuto a weak smile.

“‘Course bro! Why wouldn’t I be?” his friends face falls from concern to a devastatingly sad frown. The glimmer usually in his eyes fades until they’re dull, almost lifeless. Swallowing back the lump in his throat Tetsurou looks away from his best friend. He hates lying to him, hates himself for feeling the need to lie about how utterly destroyed he’s beginning to feel inside. But Bokuto just wouldn’t understand. Hell he barely understands. Sighing Tetsurou bows his head, leans it into Bokuto’s shoulder as he whispers out a sorry he isn’t sure the other even hears. Slipping his eyes closed he wills the tears to go away.

There’s no use crying over something that never truly existed in the first place.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

It happened so suddenly, Tetsurou barely has time to react. He kicks his front door shut, hand rubbing against his tired, bloodshot eyes as he dumps his bag haphazardly to the floor. A shadow bursts from behind him and tackles him to the floor. A blood curdling scream rose in his throat as he feels himself smack into the floor, only to have it die on his tongue as the air in his lungs gushes out upon impact. Gasping desperately Tetsurou claws at his flooring, feet kicking out at nothing as an invisible force presses him down.

He can feel his body, his brain, screaming for air only to receive none. Fleeting thoughts of Daichi fill his dying mind. Tears spring up and leak over his waterline, down his cheeks and into the floor below. Legs slow to soft twitches, fingers dig into the floor but no longer clawing. A buzzing sound fills his ears as his body becomes heavier and heavier. Eyes begin hooding closed…

Everything floods back with a crash. No, the shadow is thrown off him and it crashes. His lungs gasp in choking gusts of oxygen so quickly he’s sure he blacks out for a minute. Clumsy limbs flailing out again, shaky and uncontrollably numb as he knocks random objects around. Widened eyes land on the bat across the room, where he’d left it months ago after he’d stopped being terrified of…

Daichi.

His head whips around, hiss leaving his lips as the buzzing still rang loudly in his ears, to see the shadow slamming into Daichi. Knocking him down Tetsurou’s hall as if he weighs nothing more than a sack of rice. A whimper falls out of his throat dragging the attention of the shadowed thing back onto him. Turning around, holding back a scream by biting into his lip, Tetsurou wills his body to start working again. Prays for help from anything bothering to listen and care.

He makes it across the room to the bat before the shadowed creature reaches him. His fingers wrapping around the cooled wood just as pain rips through his lower leg. Gasping out as white hot pain surges through him, Tetsurou grips the bat with his other hand. Tightening his hands around it as much as possible before blindly swinging. Dumbly, his eyes react to the sounds of the bat hitting what his mind tells him is flesh, by closing tightly. Arms continuing to swing in the direction he hopes, prays is in the correct direction as he fights off the demonic force attacking him. 

He can feel the connection of each hit. Blunt force vibrating through and up the wood and his arm every time he swings and hits. But each hit he lands is met with a couple misses, throwing him off balance and causing him to land full weight onto his injured leg. Hisses of suppressed pain block out any scream that builds up. Tears stinging his eyes and spilling down his cheeks.

Tetsurou can feel himself slowing. Can tell he’s losing momentum and adrenaline far quicker than he’d hoped. His strength seeming to seep out of him in rapid wavelengths. His swings becoming more and more sloppy. 

A crack filters through the air, his sofa suffering his defensive attack. A crash, two crashes, telling him he more than likely shattered a lamp as well as the half mug of coffee he’d abandoned that morning. Dull thuds being the only indications he’s hitting the shadow being at all. At least his brain hopes it’s a correct indication. For all he knew, since his damn eyes refuse to cooperate and open so he can _see_ , the shadow could be standing off to the side and silently laughing at his pitiful display.

He’s, quite honestly, on the verge of giving up. Knees trembling, sweat dripping off him with the strain of ignoring the pain radiating from his injured limb. Heart pounding so heavily inside his chest he feels as if a heart attack in’t far off. The image of Daichi being thrown down his hall and not coming back one of the only things keeping him going now. It’s a dumb reason, his own life should be more important. But he needs to know the demon’s alright. He can’t die without knowing Daichi’s okay because that’s what happens when you fall in love. It makes you stupid. So Tetsurou pushes past his limits, pushes himself through the trembling and pain. 

Then it’s over just as suddenly as it began. 

One last resounding whack against something and the bat gets caught, unbudging even when Tetsurou yanks and twists with everything he has left. Coughing, choking on his breaths he began slumping to the floor in defeat. The shadowed thing pulls him against it with a tight grip, crashing to the floor with him. His mind screams that he failed, that this is where he dies. That he’s never gonna see-

At the sound of his name being called over and over again, Tetsurou slowly blinks his eyes open. Cringing against the intense, bright glow flashing against his eyesight. The voice grows louder the more he focuses, the longer he blinks. Gasps of labored breaths slow as he creases his brows together. The blinding glow slowly dulls until cool, wet gold stares back down at him. 

“Daichi?” his voice is hoarse, nearly gone with strain.

“You fucking scared me!” their face drops into his neck as he tries to push out an apology. His voice fails him though. Body lifeless and numb except for where he’d been injured. The locations of injuries pulsing along with his heartbeat in waves of pain. Shuddering out a sigh he winces as the pain settles in deep. Daichi hears the hiss Tetsurou exhales, pulling away to gently lay him in his lap. A hand brushes away Tetsurou’s fringe so he can see all of his face clearly. “Just relax, it’ll fade soon. I promise. Just breathe…”

True to the words being spoken to him the pain fades over time. His leg still throbs but it’s no longer borderline unbearable. It takes a few hours of Daichi trying his best to keep Tetsurou comfortable before his voice comes back. He raspily, weakly asks about the shadow. Daichi stares into his face for several minutes before stating it was a hellhound sent after Tetsurou, due to his association with Daichi. He stops the demon from saying any more, knowing he’s going to apologize and more than likely make some unwanted promise to stay away since he’s gotten Tetsurou hurt. Interrupting them until they stop trying to put more distance between him and Tetsurou.

A courage he didn’t know he’d gained allows him to ask the questions that has swirled around inside his mind. All except the obvious one, the one about what Daichi is. He already knows. Brain unwilling to ask it and have it confirmed because he didn’t _need_ it confirmed. Daichi answers every question thrown at him without holding back. His face open, sad and hilariously honest considering what he is. 

When a pause passed between them, interrogation seemingly over, at least for now, Daichi helps Tetsurou to his feet. He wavers enough for Daichi to keep a strong grip on his hips while his hands steadied on Daichi’s shoulders. Leaning his forehead against Daichi’s Tetsurou raises his tired eyes to lock their gazes together. 

“I know what you are,” a teasing quirk of his lips has them deadpanning.

“I swear to satan if you say a vampire, _or sparkly vampire_ you **sarcastic** pain in the ass, I will kill you,”

“Fuck you, I’m funny,” Tetsurou barks out an ugly laugh. The sound echoes around them like a blanket.

“In certain levels of hell maybe,” that statement just a few short months ago would have sent a small trickle of fear through him. Now it only makes him want to laugh along with Daichi. Shaking his head against Daichi’s, Tetsurou sighs.

“I know what you are,” he softens his voice, lowering it into a much more serious tone. Eyes going wet with unshed tears as he hopes Daichi will understand what he’s trying to say. “And I don’t care,” the gold melted into soft, human looking brown as Daichi shifts on his feet. Face still questioning.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” without hesitation Tetsurou nods. Waiting just a second before pressing on. “Are you?” 

Instead of answering with words, Daichi yanks Tetsurou down by the short strands of hair at the nape of his neck. Their lips colliding in a brutal, painful kiss. Tetsurou’s fists grip into the blood stained hoodie, trying to yank Daichi as close as he possibly could. Daichi’s fee hand wound around his hips, palm pushing into the back pocket of his jeans to cup his ass softly. A snorting giggle tore through his mouth at the feeling of Daichi’s hand on him. In response Daichi growls into Tetsurou’s mouth, tilting his head just enough to deepen the kiss. 

The giggles slowly turn into content sighs as they finally soften the kiss into deep, long swipes of their slick lips together. They remain like this for the better part of an hour. Gently making out in the middle of Tetsurou’s destroyed living room. Only pulling back when Tetsurou needs air. Their foreheads bump and rest together again as Tetsurou gasps in mouthfuls of oxygen, fists releasing the hoodie. His knuckles crack loudly as he stretches the sore digits before winding his arms around Daichi’s neck. Fingertips teasing the short strands as he scrapes his blunt nails along Daichi’s scalp.

Daichi’s hand in his hair fell down the length of him to his hip. In one swift barely noticed movement Daichi had both his hands in Tetsurou’s jean pockets, palms cupping his ass in a way that brought back Tetsurou’s soft giggles. 

“What?” their warm breath met and swirls together between them as Tetsurou laughs softly. Daichi’s lips lift into a small smile, the splatters of dried blood along the side of his face cracking and peeling slightly with the action.

“Perve,” he teases as he rubs the tip of his nose against Daichi’s, their foreheads contact remaining unbroken. Neither wanting or even willing to part just yet.

“You love it,” a flush crosses his cheeks and neck as his eyes flutter shut. A small _’Yeah’_ left his lungs in a short breath as he leans even further into the comforting, safe warmth Daichi offers.


End file.
